Cleaning device



Fb. 11, 1936. B. M. BIRELEY El AL CLEANING DEVICE Filed April 50, 1935 In ventors Bertha M fiireley and CharZes E. .Bz'reley,

BY M.

A TTORNEY Patented Feb. ll, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OLEANIN G DEVICE Bertha M. Bireley and Charles E. Bireley,

Hollywood, Calif.

Our invention relates to household cleaning devices, and among its more important objects are; first, to provide an improved cleaning means that is adapted for a variety of uses, such as dishwashing and silver polishing for example, while thoroughly protecting the hands of the user; second, to supply a device of this nature that may be used with water, soap, and abrasive materials, without being injured thereby; third, to furnish an article of this kind that may be readily cleaned and kept in a sanitary condition; and, fourth to accomplish the stated purposes in a very simple and relatively inexpensive device.

Our objects are attained in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved embodiment of the invention, in the form of a cleaning mitten;

Figure 2 is a plan view of composite material in the form of roll, from which slices may be cut for the cleaning pads of the mitten; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the roll shown in Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of our invention that has been selected for illustration, a typical form of cleaning mitten is shown at 5. Preferably this should be made of resilient and stretchable vulcanized rubber compound, or of vulcanized latex. The material of the mitten should be relatively thin, impervious, and tough, so that it can withstand considerable abuse and resist puncturing. The principal wear will not come upon this material however; and many. well known substances meet the requirements, and may be obtained readily.

On the outer surface of the mitten, adjacent the finger tips of the wearer, there is a relatively large cleaning pad 6. A smaller cleaning pad 1 of the same nature, is positioned on the outer surface of the thumb portion of the mitten adjacent the end thereof. Both of these pads are of vulcanizable material, and are vulcanized to the surface of the mitten at the locations specified. These pads withstand practically all of the wear to which the mitten is subjected in service; and they are positioned opposed to each other, so that articles can be grasped and held between them.

The cleaning pads either are slices, or are made from slices, severed from composite material as in the manner indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. Such material may be prepared in the following manner, viz.-

A sheet of absorbent fabric of suitable weight and quality, such as canvas, is laid upon a sheet of vulcanizable rubber of substantially the same thickness. These two superposed sheets are then rolled up tightly, and the whole roll is vulcanized as a unit. Such a roll is indicated at 8 in the drawing. In the vulcanizing process, the canvas becomes more or less permeated by the rubber; and the fibres of the canvas become embedded in the rubber, and are strongly held thereby. The roll may conveniently assume the form of a true 10 cylinder, or may take other rounded forms according to the requirements. Slices of any desired thickness may be cut from such a roll very readily, as by means of a revolving disk slicer.

If the roll is of circular cross-section, and the slices are taken obliquely with respect to its axis, such slices will have elliptical peripheries, and be suitable for use as the larger cleaning pad 6. The smaller cleaning pad 1 may be cut from such slices, by means of a die or otherwise.

In every case, it is very desirable to have the textile fibres of the pads run obliquely with respect to the surface thereof. This will be accomplished automatically when the pad slices are cut obliquely from a roll that is made up in the manner described, when the threads of the canvas run longitudinally, and transversely at right angles, in the usual way. If truly circular pads should be required, a rollof circular cross-section may be formed with canvas cut on the bias. In the latter case the fibres of the slice also will be at an angle with respect to the surface thereof, when the slice is taken perpendicularly to the axis of the roll.

It will be seen, by examining the surface of pads 6 and 1, and the cut surface 9, of roll 8, that the exposed ends of the textile fibres are spaced by the soft vulcanized rubber, in which they are firmly held. This fact gives these composite surfaces unique and valuable characteristics. Thus, the exposed rubber surfaces can function for cleaning purposes, in the well known manner of rubber erasers. The exposed fibres are adapted to absorb appreciable amounts of water, soap, and abrasive powders; and thus can function in the well known manner of cleaning rags. The intimate combination of these two cleaning agencies in a single surface, results in obtaining a cleaning capacity that is not attainable by either of them alone. The two functions are, in 5 fact superimposed and exerted concurrently, with great practical benefit.

By virtue of the just described combination of characteristics, our device is adapted to obtain results more quickly, and more completely, than has been possible hitherto. We have found, for example, that the marks made by aluminum utensils on white enameled sinks may be easily removed by the use of our device, with ordinary soap and water. We have also found that the cleaning action is expedited to a marked degree by the fact that pressure may be applied very readily, by the fingers and thumb ofthe user, in the exact position desired, by reason of the flexibility of the cleaning pads. Thus pad I may be pressed into the bowl of a spoon, and the edge of pad 6 may be pressed into the inside corner of a stew pan.

We have also found that our device is, in itself, very readily kept clean and in a sanitary condition. Foreign substances, although they may adhere to the surface of the pads temporarily, cannot penetrate beneath the surface to an appreciable extent, and may be readily removed by washing.

It is not essential that the composite material, from which slices are cut for the pads, shall be in the form of a roll. An equivalent result can be obtained by making a pile of alternate rubber and canvas sheets, and vulcanizing the pile flat under slight pressure to form a composite slab of considerable thickness. Such a slab can be sliced in any convenient manner that will cause the fibres of the slices to run obliquely to the surface thereof. I

Obviously our invention may be produced and utilized in a number of forms other than that described. In all of its forms however, the hands of users are thoroughly protected from water, soap, abrasive material, grease, and soil of all kinds, although the fingers and hands can be moved in a perfectly natural manner.

It should be noted particularly that the cleaning pads serve to reinforce the material of the body of the device at the places where wear would naturally occur. Wear is, in fact, taken almost wholly by the pads, and, since these are of substantial thickness, the life of the device is greatly enhanced in this manner.

Having thus fully described and illustrated our invention, we claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising; a flexible and impervious covering for the hand of a user; and a flexible pad on the outer surface of the covering; the body of the pad being of erasive rubber-like material having spaced absorbent fibres embedded therein and held thereby; and said fibres being exposed at the outer surface of the pad, and extending oliquely inwardly therefrom.

2. A device of the character described, comprising; a flexible and impervious covering for the hand of a user; and a flexible pad on the outer surface of the covering; the body of the pad being of erasive rubber-like material having spaced portions of absorbent fabric embedded therein and held thereby; and the fibres of said fabric being exposed at the outer surface of the pad, and extending obliquely inwardly therefrom.

3. A device of the character described, comprising; a flexible and impervious covering for the hand of a user, in the form of a sheath; and flexible pads on the outer surface of the sheath, adjacent the tips of the finger and thumb portions thereof respectively; the bodies of the pads being of erasive rubber-like material having spaced portions of absorbent fabric embedded therein and held thereby; and the fibres of said fabric being exposed at the outer surfaces of the pads, and extending obliquely inwardly therefrom.

4. A- device of the character described, comprising; a flexible and impervious covering for the hand of a user, in the form of a mitten; and flexible pads on the outer surface of the mitten, adjacent the tips of the inner sides of the finger and thumb portions thereof respectively; the bodies of the pads being of erasive rubber-like material having spaced portions of absorbent fabric embedded therein, vulcanized thereto, and held thereby; and the fibres of said fabric being exposed at the outer surfaces of the pads, and extending obliquely inwardly therefrom.

BERTHA M. BIRELEY. CHARLES E. BIRELEY 

